Anu Natarajan

Principal Planner

anatarajan at m-group.us

Anu brings a wide breadth of experience in planning, public policy, community engagement, and project management. Her ability to listen keenly, communicate and connect with various audiences has enabled her to work effectively with diverse community groups both locally and regionally. She is a proven leader, focusing on collaboration and leveraging partnerships with individuals and organizations.

Anu is currently performing development review for large-scale, complex and controversial projects with the City of Palo Alto.

Before M-Group, Anu has worked as a planner, urban designer, and architect. She has lead multidisciplinary teams to prepare Specific, Master and Area Plans, Design Guidelines and Development Standards for various jurisdictions nationally and internationally. She served as Director of Policy and Advocacy for the MidPen Housing Corporation, where she promoted affordable housing policies at the local and regional Bay Area level, created a network of partners and allies of affordable housing, and collaborated with decision makers at the local and state level to design funding strategies for affordable development. For 10 years, she served as Councilmember and Vice Mayor for the City of Fremont, where she lead the City’s strategic shift in vision from a suburban to complete sustainable community.

Anu has a Master of Urban Planning and Urban Design from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Bangalore University, India. She has served on several boards and commissions within the organizations Smart Growth America, Greenbelt Alliance, Transform CA, SPUR, and ABAG.

In her free time Anu like to hike, volunteer with community organizations and follow local politics. She also watches re-runs of West Wing and Gilmore Girls.